Fence-tightening post.



A, 5N. P. HOWARD. 4 FENCE TIGHTENING POST.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1910.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

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NELSON F. HOWARD, 0F JACKSON TOWNSHIP, CLINTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

FENCE-TIGrI-ITENING POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tuly 11, 1910.

Patented Mar. 2i, 1911i.

serial No. 571,284.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, NELSON HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Jackson township, in the county of Clinton and State of indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fencerliglitening Posts; and I do declare the following' to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being` had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to composite fence posts that are adapted to be constructed principally of concrete and metal, and has reference particularly to end or corner posts, that are adapted to tighten lines of metallic fencing.

The object of the invention is to provide a cheaply constructed and permanent fence post of the above-mentioned character that will be adapted to stand firmly and be durable and economical in use, and always capable of tightening the fencing when it becomes loose through stretching of the fence wires.

The invention consists in an improved fence tightening post comprising a monolithic main part of novel construction, and a rotative part constituting a winding shaft and mounted on the main part in a novel manner for directly supporting and tightening the fence-wires or woven wire fencing, the shaft being provided with a ratchet wheel, and the main part supporting a pawl in a novel manner for engaging the ratchet wheel to prevent reverse movements of the shaft; and the invention consists further in the novel parts, and in the combination and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is a top plan of the improved post constructed as a corner post with a portion thereof broken away; Fig. 2, an end elevation; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the post; Fig. 4, a sectional view partially brokenV away on the line A A in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a fragmentary section on the line B B in Fig. 4; Fig. (i, a fragmentary perspective view of the'main part and the journal box for the upper portion of the winding shaft Fig. 7, a perspective view of the pawl and its pivot block; and Fig. 8, a vertical section partially broken away on the line C C in Fig. 2; Figs. l, 2 and 3 showing wire fencing connected to the post.

Similar reference characters in the different figures of the drawings indicate corresponding elements or features of construction herein referred to.

ln constructing the improved post it is preferable to mold the main part at the place where the post is to be permanent-ly used at the end of a line of fencing or at the corner of a field, in order to avoid the expense of hauling and setting massive posts of this character. Having determined the posit-ion the post is to occupy, a suitable excavation is made in the ground and then a base l of concrete is molded in the excavation and carried up nearly to the surface of the ground. The upper portion of the excavation is widened laterally, so as to constitute a mold in which is formed a laterally extending` shaft support 2 on one side of and integral with the base which is carried up therewith to the surface of the ground, the support having a receding end portion 2. The shaft support is massive and aids in maintaining the main part of the post in upright position. Suitable opposing molding forms are then set up on the ground and upon the shaft support, and the concrete is molded therein, so as to form a body portion 3 integral with the base and the shaft support, the body portion having a slopig top portion 3. if in addition to connecting one line of fencing to the post it is desired to connect another line of fencing thereto, as in case the post is erected at the corner of a field, an angular body-portion 4 is molded upon a base l extended from the base l and having a lateral shaft support 5 thereon.

`Instead of molding the base and the shaft support in the ground, however, it will be understood that those portions and the body portion may be molded together in a suitable mold or form, so that the concrete main part shall consist of a single struct-ure adapted to be set into the ground.

The shaft support 2 has a metallic socket 6 embedded in its upper portion near the broader end thereof and the shaft supporthas also a drain hole 6 therein extending down from the bottom of the socket, the latter having a registering drain hole 6 therein. A suitable journal box 7 is provided which has a journal bearing 8 therein vand is provided with a shank 7 of ample strength and graceful proportions on which are two projections 9 and 9 that serve as guides when embedding the shank in the concrete body portion, the inner sidesof the project-ions coinciding with the outer face of the body portion 3. The shank comprises also an integral plate 10 which is embedded in the concrete, and also two integral rails 11 and 12 extending from the end portions thereof to the ends of which a rail 13 is integrally connected, the latter having ribs 14 and 14 on the upper and lower sides thereof, respectively, the plate 10 and the rails constituting a frame anchored securely in the body portion 3 with the outer edge of the rail 11 flush with the end of the body portion, said journal box being arranged near the top of the post, with the journal bearing 8 beyond the corner of the post and in alinement with the socket 6. Another frame-like anchor is embedded in the body portion 3 of the post while the latter is being molded, and it comprises a pivot block 15 having a slot 16 therein through which extends a pivot 17 on which a pawl 1S is mounted in the slot, the block 15 having integral rails 19 and 2O thereon on the ends of which a rail 21 is integrally connected and provided on the upper and lower sides thereof with ribs 22 and 22', the rails and the ribs and also the inner portion of the block 15 being embedded in the body portion 3 at a suitable distance above the shaft support 2, with the pawl 1S extending parallel to and near the outer' side of the body portion 3, the pawl extending from its pivot toward the corner of the post.

A winding shaft 23 is provided which may suitably be composed of a section of iron pipe, and it is rotatively mounted in the socket (i and in the journal bearing 8, the socket constituting a journal bearing for the lower end of the shaft. A collar is placed on the lower portion of the shaft at a suitable distance above the shaft support 2 and it comprises a nut shaped upper portion 24 on which a powerful wrench may be placed for rotating the shaft, the lower portion of the collar having a iiange 25 thereon upon which are a suitable number of ratchet teeth 26, the collar being secured to the shaft by means of two rivets 27 and 28 or otherwise, as may be desired, the flange 25 extending under the pawl 18 so that it rides upon and may engage the ratchet teeth upon the flange. The top of the shaft preferably has a cap 29 thereon. The shaft has a suitable number o-f holes 30 in its wall below the collar and also a suitable number of holes 31, 31, between the collar and the journal box 7 to receive the fence wires 32, 33, 33', of one line of fencing and other wires 34, 35, 35, of another line of fencing, or fencing continuing from the first mentioned line of fencing.

The fencing may consist of separate wires or strands or may obviously be provided with stays 36 if desired.

In practical use the ends of the fencewires are drawn through the holes in the winding shaft, and in order to tighten the fencing a wrench is placed on the nut-like portion 2-1- of the collar and with the exertion of manual force the shaft 23 is rotated until the fencing is suiiiciently tightened, the pawl 18 dropping behind one of the ratchet teeth 26 and holding the shaft, so as f to prevent unwinding of the fencing. At any time that it may be desired to again tighten the fencing it is apparent that the shaft may be further rotated in ordertoaccomplish the desired result.

Having thus described theinvention, what is claimed as new, is-

1. A fence post including a main part, a winding-shaft mounted on the side of the main part, a ratchet-wheel secured to the winding-shaft, a pivot-block having two integral rails thereon on the ends of which another rail is integrally connected transversely thereto, all the rails being embedded in the main part, and a pawl pivoted to the pivot-block adjacent the ratchet-wheel.

2. A fence post including a 'main part, a shaft-support on the lower portion of the main part, a journal-box provided with a shank having a projection thereon that extends against the outer face of the main part, the shank comprising also a plate and two lateral rails extending from the plate and another rail integral with the ends of i the main part, and a winding-shaft mounted in the shaft-support and the journal-box.

3. In a fence post, a main part having an integral shaft-support on the lower portion of one side thereof, a shank embedded in the upper portion of the main part and having a journal-box thereon, a pivot-block having a slot therein and having also a shank thereon embedded in the lower portion of the main part adjacent the shaft-support, and a pawl pivoted in the slot, in combination with a winding-shaft mounted in the shaftsupport and the journal-box, and a ratchetwheel secured to the winding-shaft. between and adjacent the shaft-support and the pawl.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signaturel in presence of two witnesses.

E. T. SrLvrUs, J. H. GARDNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

